BIO: C. J. TYSON, Menallen Township, Adams County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/adams/ _______________________________________________ History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co., 1886 _______________________________________________ Part III, History of Adams County, Page 478 C. J. TYSON, farmer and dealer in fertilizers, P. O. Flora Dale, Adams Co., Penn. is a native of Burlington County, N. J., and was born September 5, 1838, a son of E. C. and Susan (Griffith) Tyson. At eleven years of age he went to work for himself in a house furnishing establishment at Philadelphia, and later was employed six years in a grocery. He then learned daguerreotyping and August 16, 1859, came to Gettysburg, this county, with his brother Isaac G., and opened a gallery there and made the first photographs ever finished in Adams County. In 1864 he bought a one-third interest in the Spring Dale nurseries of Cyrus Griest & Sons, still retaining his interest in the photograph business, which however, he sold in 1865, and turned his entire attention to the nursery business. In 1866 he bought back the photograph gallery and in 1867 the entire interest in the nursery. In 1868 he sold out the gallery and in 1869 bought a farm of 167 acres where he now resides; closed out the nursery business at Gettysburg, and, in 1878, bought a half-interest in the Chambersburg nurseries, but continued to reside in Menallen. In 1874 he bought the one-half interest in the same photograph gallery. In 1875 he sold out his nursery business; in 1880 exchanged his half interest in the photograph business for a dwelling in Gettysburg, and in 1881 became a charter member of the Susquehanna Fertilizer Company. This company built a factory near Perryville, Md., capital stock of $15,000, increased in 1882, to $35,000; the plant was burned September 29, 1882, and the company was reorganized in Baltimore with a paid up capital stock of $100,000, and became known as the Susquehanna Fertilizer Company of Baltimore City, with officers as follows: C. J. Tyson, president; George B. Passmore, treasurer: S. P. Broomell, superintendent. The plant cost about $50,000. They sold, in 1881, 1,200 tons of fertilizers, and in 1885 11,000 tons. Mr. Tyson is one of the substantial citizens of the county, and has been the architect of his own fortune, for on his arrival in Gettysburg his ready cash consisted of $10 and was $150 in debt. His house is a fine brick structure and the grounds surrounding it evidence the care of an enterprising and prosperous man. April 30, 1868, Mr. Tyson married Maria E. Griest, who was born in this township March 7, 1840, a daughter of Cyrus and Mary A. (Cook) Griest. They were natives of York County, members of the society of Friends, both are now deceased, they left eight children, all now comfortably settled in Butler and Menallen Townships. Mr. and Mrs. Tyson have four children, Edwin C., Mary A., Chester J. and William C. Mr. Tyson and wife commenced housekeeping at Gettysburg just three weeks before the time of the famous battle, and he was among the last to leave his business in the town when the fight commenced. During his absence the rebels occupied his house, and on his return he found nothing of consequence missing, except the provisions and his wearing apparel, which were all gone. Mr. Tyson subscribed liberally, and otherwise aided in the completion of the Gettysburg & Harrisburg Railroad, through Menallen Township. In 1874 Mr. Tyson’s mother was deceased, since which time his father, now in his seventy-eighth year, has been furnished with a comfortable home under his roof.